Hell's Rain
by Kaline Reine
Summary: Zuko kidnaps Katara, holding her as bait for the Avatar. Meanwhile, he struggles to hide his true feelings. Will she manage to escape with her life? And will he manage to escape with his feelings in tact? His plan may be more than what it seems. Zutara! ( Zuko X Katara ) Sort of AU. Rated M for many reasons.
1. Chapter 1

**Hell's Rain  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar series or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story written for my own amusement.**

**WARNING: Adult situations and graphic sexual content. May also contain borderline, if not full-on, rape. Also some angst, cursing, romance, possible character death, and other things. Sort of AU and they might be a little OOC at times. The pairing is Zuko X Katara. (That's right, I ship Zutara hardcore!) If it's not your thing, then turn back now. You have been warned. This is written solely for my own amusement. If you don't like the pairing or the plot, then go elsewhere for your entertainment. This is my first Avatar fanfic... That being said, if you think you can handle it, then I hope you find it an enjoyable read. Feedback is welcome and appreciated. Thank you for reading.**

* * *

**Chapter 1:**

She struggled in her bonds, unable to believe that she'd even allowed this to happen. She was ambushed... It happened in mere seconds.

Blue eyes looked up at her captor, pleading to be let go. Katara put her head down, crestfallen. She knew it wouldn't happen. Yellow eyes glared harshly at the bound girl; his new hostage. She could tell by the look of sheer cruelty in his eyes that this man was not playing games anymore. The Fire nation Prince that she once knew was no more.

It was clear that Zuko had long since tired of toying around. His search for the Avatar hd been met with failure, time and time again. That was when it became clear that he'd been trying the wrong strategy all along. Instead of relentlessly pursuing the Avatar, he should have gone after his loved ones instead. He'd been mulling his plan over when he'd strumbled upon the girl. Fate seemed to be on his side today.

Iroh was stroking his beard, and gawking at their young prisoner, seeming to consider her for a long moment. "And what will we do with her, now that we actually have her?" She glared at the old man, and he just chuckled. They were just out of earshot, and using hushed tones, so she couldn't hear what they were discussing.

"That's for me to decide, Uncle." Prince Zuko ran a hand through his unkempt hair. It had been a long while since he'd cut off the symbol of his royal bloodline, of his very honor, and his hair had regrown hastily afterward. The same scar given to him by his father was still clearly visible; an eternal reminder of his banishment. And the very reason he was still seeking out the Avatar.

Zuko turned to face one of his henchmen. Luckily he'd been able to hire some new recuits, even after Azula had taken his original crew with her. "Take her to the ship. She can stay in my cabin until we arrive."

"Where are we going?" His Uncle, who was very much like a father to him, demanded to know.

"I know of the perfect place to wait. It's not too far from here."

Tears rolled down Katara's cheeks, as she was pulled away from land and the forest where her friends awaited her return. They were making camp and she'd been sent to find firewood. Instead, Fire nation had found her. Her enemy had planned this out. It was an ambush. After a brief struggle, she'd been captured and tied up before she could even scream for help. They had her gagged right now, using a red Fire nation cloth. She didn't know what they planned to do with her, but it wasn't good. From the way Zuko was acting, he most likely intended to use her as bait.

She was afraid of what would happen to her now. There was nothing she could do about it right now. Her hands were tied with rope and her pressure points had been used to ensure she could not bend. At least temporarily, her arms did not work. They just hung limply, tied behind her back. The effects would wear off eventually, but it would be too late by then. The men carried her away.

The Prince scribbled something on a scroll, and used an arrow to secure it to a nearby tree. _'Avatar- We have the girl. If you want to see her alive, you will follow this map and face me head on. No tricks.' _He left it unsigned.

The rest of Zuko's men piled into the ship and he joined them in somber silence. He was ready to put his latest plan into motion. This time it would pay off for certain. The Fire nation ship set sail. They were on their way at last. And with the girl in tow, this would be almost too easy.

Iroh was surprised at how thoroughly his Nephew had actually planned all of this out. He seemed to have thought of everything. He wasn't going to complain or add in his two cents. There was no point in doing anything yet. He would wait to see how things played out, as always.

It did concern him a little that Zuko would want the girl to stay in his room with him. That didn't sound very much like the young Prince... He was antisocial and hated sharing his space with anyone; a very private person. But he most likely wanted to be sure to keep an extra close eye on her. The Avatar's friends were just as ruthless as he was, and there was no doubt that she'd be trying everything she could to escape. It was most likely a wise idea. There still remained that trickle of doubt, however.

"Are you certain this is for the best?" Iroh once again tried to persuade him. "We could just go after the Avatar, you know. She could lead us to him."

"That's never worked before. And it's not like she would do that anyway. I can handle it this time. Just trust me."

"Alright, you know best. I'm going to make more tea. Can we stop off to pick up some supplies on the way there?"

Zuko sighed. "No. There's no time. And we won't be needing them, where we're going."

* * *

Katara wasn't told anything about where they were headed. She wasn't told anything at all, actually. The soldiers just dragged her aboard the ship and tossed her into a dark room. She landed on the cold, hard floor face-down with a thud. Grunting, she struggled once again to get free. It was no use...

They'd taken away all of the belongings she had been carrying on her person. She kind of wished she hadn't been carrying her bag with her, but it had made carrying the firewood back to their campsite so much easier. They were very thorough. Even her necklace had been removed. Perhaps they were looking to see if they could sell any of it? The thought made her so angry, but she was at a loss.

All she could do was rest, and wait for whatever fate had in store for her... After such a hard battle, the young Waterbender really was tired. And she knew she'd need her strength soon. Her eyes slowly drifted shut, despite her obvious discomfort of being left on the floor.

It felt like a few hours had passed. Or days? It was impossible to tell. But Katara opened her eyes for the first time when someone opened the door to the room she was being kept in. Light filtered in and it was too bright for her eyes to adjust. She squinted, trying to decipher the figure which loomed just at the edge of the darkness.

"Tch. Really?" The voice belonged to Prince Zuko. To her surprise, he lifted her up and placed her on a much softer surface. It was a bed. "I can't believe they left you on the floor like that. I thought they'd have at least some common sense. Sorry. I think we can remove this for now."

Agile fingers easily removed her gag, much to her appreciation. It took a moment for her jaw to stop hurting. She was lying on her back, and he was above her head, causing her to have to strain her neck to get a clear view of him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Zuko?!" She shrieked, resuming her futile struggling. "Let me go _right now_! I don't know what you're planning, but whatever it is, it _won't_work! Take me back!"

Zuko frowned. "I'm afraid that won't be happening. I'm sorry..." He was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the ground.

It confused her. How could he do something so horrible to someone, and still manage to be so apologetic about it? He seemed so sincere. Part of her wanted desperately to believe him...

He looked into her eyes, seriously then. "I need you, Katara. It's for a plan. It's really important, but you'll just have to trust me. I know it seems bad-"

"_Seems_bad?!" She scowled angrily, glaring daggers at the boy. "You kidnapped me and you're probably using me as bait to capture Aang. On second thought... I know exactly what you're planning. It's written all over your face!"

"So you have it all figured out? Okay then." Zuko stopped talking after that. There was nothing he could say to make her believe him anyway. He wanted to explain his entire plan, but why even bother? It's not like she'd listen.

Sighing, he lightly moved the prisoner to the far side of the bed. Katara was still on her back, against the wall. She was still glaring at him, and the young Prince felt like it may not be safe to sleep here tonight.

"Goodnight, sleep sweet Princess..." He muttered, not knowing if she heard him or not.

Sadly, he walked out onto the main deck of his ship. Gazing at the stars as they reflected over the water, he tried to figure out what to do.

He had to get out of there... Being around the girl was upsetting for some reason. It made him feel weird, in a bad way. Zuko didn't like this part of himself. The fallen Prince had a lot to think about.

After some deep soul-searching and pondering his new path, he decided it would be best to retire for the night. He felt weird about sharing his bed with someone. But what else could he do? This was a war ship, and while it did have a holding cell for prisoners... It just didn't feel right to keep her in a disgusting cell where the guard could abuse her all they wanted and-

He had to stop his mind, before it took things further. Going through the door that led to his cabin, he was stunned to see that she was already asleep. That battle must have really worn her out. Zuko couldn't help but feel bad for her. Nope. There was no way he could have kept her as a normal prisoner on his ship.

Especially after she'd nearly healed his scar bck at Ba Sing Se. There was so much more to it than that, though. She'd made him feel again; given him hope... And then the world took it away again. How cruel. But he'd gained a greater understanding of what he was facing. That was important. And yet, it had raised far more questions for him than it had answered.

He wasn't even sure how to go about sharing a bed with someone. It was something he'd never done, even once in his life. Taking a deep breath, Zuko decided it was best to sleep in his clothes for the time being. No sense in freaking the girl out. Lying on his side, facing away from her to be clear, he lied on the pillow gazing toward the door. And silently daring anyone to come in and disturb him.

* * *

**Thank you for reading.**

**-k.R.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hell's Rain  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar series or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story written for my own amusement.**

**WARNING: Adult situations and graphic sexual content. May also contain borderline, if not full-on, rape. Also some character death, angst, and other dark themes. If it's not your thing, then turn back now. You have been warned. This is written solely for my own amusement. If you don't like the pairing or the plot, then go elsewhere for your entertainment. This is my first Avatar fanfic... That being said, if you think you can handle it, then I hope you find it an enjoyable read. Feedback is welcome and appreciated.**

* * *

**Chapter 2:**

It had taken them a few days to reach their destination. At one point, Katara had seen an opportunity. Zuko had left her untied for a short time, so she could eat dinner. When he'd been called outside to take care of something, she took the chance to look for a way to get a message to Aang somehow.

Luckily, she managed to grab a piece of parchment paper, used for official letters and stuff. She also grabbed a small glass bottle from the table beside the bed. It was empty. Rushing to find a pen, she scribbled down a quick message.

_'Aang- I've been captured. Zuko is just using me as bait, but I'm okay. I'll escape on my own when I get a chance. Whatever happens, do NOT come after me under ANY circumstances. -Katara.' _

The message was rolled up and placed inside the bottle. She had to use a scrap of cloth to cork the top, but it was better than nothing. Taking a major chance, she pried open the door a little to peek through the crack. She didn't see anyone. Creeping outside, Katara ran to the edge of the ship. Tossing the bottle overboard, she used her Waterbending ability to send a wave carrying it in what she hoped was the right direction.

Unfortunately, she had no way of really knowing if it would make it through or not. For now, she was stuck. They were on the sea, surrounded by water. And yet, even her Waterbending wouldn't help her out of this situation right now. She could take care of all the Firebenders on the ship, but then what? There would be no way for her to escape without a ship of her own. And she doubted if she could take the hot-tempered Prince down anyway. She'd lost the first fight and her confidence was shattered.

Retreating back to her room was her best option right now. By the time Zuko returned, she was just finishing her meal. It tasted terrible, but she'd heard that Fire nation's delicacies were an acquired taste.

They hadn't spoken for several days, after the first night when he'd attempted to talk to her. She didn't really care what he had to say anyway. Katara was absolutely furious, and she didn't care if the whole world knew. She couldn't wait to make him taste her wrath. But deep down... The Waterbending prodigy was a bit frightened.

"I suppose you're still angry with me," He startled her with his softly spoken words. "Though I can't say I blame you..."

Katara had always expected the Prince to be evil, very loud and arrogant... She'd expected him to be angry toward her. Fierce and destructive, like the very flames he commanded from his fingertips. Something within Zuko clearly wasn't. He should be regarding her with scorn, but he was being so polite. It was creepy. And it had her on her guard 24-7.

"Hmph!" She turned to face the wall again. She'd had enough of him. "Leave now."

Zuko sighed. Every time he tried to have a conversation with her, it ended with her getting angry and yelling at him. It didn't matter how nice he was to her, or how pleasant he tried to be. He had captured her and he was holding her prisoner. So it was understandable that she'd be upset. It still frustrated the Firebender that she was being so stubborn. He could be pleasant company when he wanted to.

He missed seeing the light that she'd once had in her eyes. Ever since that day when they'd been captured together, thrown into an underground prison cell in the Earth kingdom, nothing was right... She'd only touched him once, but he found himself addicted. He missed the feeling of her hand on his skin. Her healing touch... He wanted more. Yet, she denied him time after time. He couldn't even manage to get a few words out of the girl.

Holding her hand in his, he looked deeply into her eyes. He loved how they sparkled in the candelight. She was beautiful. He'd never tell her that. It just wouldn't be right, but... Zuko wanted, more than anything, to find a way to tell her how lovely she was.

Katara blinked in confusion. "Uh... Did I miss something?" She jerked her hand back, as if she'd just been burned.

The moment had passed, and he had to stop himself from taking things further. Flushing, Zuko grabbed the ropes that were used to bind her hands behind her back. He moved her arms into position and acted as if he were only tying her up as always. It was a good cover. She was only allowed to eat and use the restroom without restraint. Otherwise, she was kept bound.

"It's not like I'm going anywhere, you know." Katara chose her words carefully. "I'd need a ship of my own to make it back, and I don't even know which direction to go in. I'd be lost... And I already lost the first fight, why would others be any different? Would it kill you to leave me untied, even just for one night?"

The Prince seemed to mull it over for a second or two. "I suppose not. We can try it your way, but no bending. If I even think you're about to try anything, I'll tie you right back up and keep you bound for the entire trip, without exception."

She understood what that meant. It was a horrible thought. Katara would have to control her anger. The girl nodded, hesitantly.

"Alright then," Zuko tossed the ropes on the floor. "I won't keep you tied up. But we need to get some rest. We should be arriving by morning."

"Arriving where?"

"I can't answer that." He looked away, sullenly.

Katara wanted to know where they were going even more now. It must be somewhere bad. No doubt it was somewhere in the Fire kingdom. She grew nervous, being this close to someone who was a known enemy... And yet, not being able to attack him. This wasn't right at all.

Zuko tried to maintain his composure around her. Deep down, all he wanted was to take her in his arms and hold her until all of her fears melted away... But he didn't. He knew that it would not comfort the girl, only frighten her even more. And he didn't want her to be afraid of him. His comforting touch would become something truly monstrous in her eyes.

He settled for just lying down, with his back to her as always.

Curling up in bed beside a ruthless criminal who had captured you for ransom wasn't exactly how Katara liked to spend her evenings.

Her thoughts briefly turned to Aang and the others. No doubt he and Sokka were probably getting on each other's nerves by now. And Toph was probably not doing so good as peacemaker. She tended to have a very short temper... Katara missed all of them. Even the fighting and bickering would be most welcome right now. She hoped that her message had at least gotten to them. Not knowing was what scared her the most. She didn't want to be rescued. She didn't want Aang to fall into Zuko's trap.

She definitely did not want to be here when the ship made landfall. She was so afraid of what may lie waiting for her when they arrived. The Prince sounded as if it were something horrible, even to him. No doubt he wasn't looking forward to facing his father.

Katara knew she needed to try to escape. He'd left her untied for the entire night, which would turn out to be a mistake for him. Smirking wistfully, she curled up on her side of the bed. For now, she would feign being asleep long enough for him to fall asleep. Once he did, she'd see if there were any lifeboats attached or some other way out of this predicament.

Not having a plan in mind, she lied there in silence and stillness, watching the young Prince as he slept. He looked so peaceful and untroubled... Not at all like his waking persona.

Slowly, she crept out of bed. So far, so good. The moment her hand touched the door, she screamed out in pain. "Aaaah! Damn it, that's hot! Ow!"

Amber eyes shot open. "What do you think you are doing?" His shadow loomed over her. He got dangerously close...

Katara slammed her fist onto the ground, and the water from the glass on his nightstand shot into the air. Unstable, it sprayed everywhere, slicing into his uniform. Zuko was bleeding, but it was only a small wound. He was on her in a split second, binding her hands so she could not bend water anymore.

"Hold still!"

"Sssss-" He moved to pin her arms behind her back. She hissed when he grazed the palm of her hand. "That stings! My hand is badly burned, I need to heal it!"

He held her down forcefully, pinning her to the floor beneath his weight. He was working quickly to tie her up again. "You brought this upon yourself. I'll untie you once you calm down. You can heal it later, just as easily."

Zuko disabled the trap that he'd placed on the other side of the door. It consisted of placing a large circle of glowing hot iron around the other side of the door's handle. When touched from this side, it would badly burn whoever was unlucky enough to do so. It was genius, really. Only a Firebender could open such a door. And only if they knew the trap was there.

He decided to leave her like that for the rest of the night. He knew it wouldn't help relations with his newfound prisoner, but it was for the best. She had to learn a lesson.

Prying himself off of her was perhaps the hardest thing he'd ever done. He like the feeling of her squirming so helplessly beneath him, and it was starting to have certain effects on hs body. So much so that he was glad she wasn't looking at him right then. He hurried to get back into bed. He was certain this had to be the worst kind of torture imaginable...

Zuko really wished she would just cooperate. If she knew what he was planning, in it's entirety, she might have been a little nicer to him.

"Goodnight, Katara..." Closing his eyes to her pain, he rolled over to face the other side.

* * *

**Thank you for reading.**

**-k.R.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hell's Rain  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar series or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story written for my own amusement.**

**WARNING: Adult situations and graphic sexual content. May also contain borderline, if not full-on, rape. Also some character death, angst, and other dark themes. If it's not your thing, then turn back now. You have been warned. This is written solely for my own amusement. If you don't like the pairing or the plot, then go elsewhere for your entertainment. This is my first Avatar fanfic... That being said, if you think you can handle it, then I hope you find it an enjoyable read. Feedback is welcome and appreciated.**

* * *

**Chapter 3:**

The next morning, they were faced with a rude awakening... One of the deckhands slammed the door open and rushed inside. A thin, lanky individal with a small scruffy beard barged in. He was shouting incoherently and seemed upset about something.

"How dare you wake me!" The Prince was on his feet immediately and drawing his sword. He stood over the girl who was still lying on the floor, bound and helpless.

"I saw that your trap had been disarmed! Please forgive me, sire!" He bowed low. "I thought there was mischief afoot."

"You should have thought twice before just barging in here like that." Zuko was speaking through gritted teeth, although he returned the sword to it's sheath. "What is our status?"

"We've hit land, sire. A little over an hour ago. They warned me not to wake you, I'm terribly sorry."

"See that it never happens again..." Zuko bowed lightly, dismissing his henchman with ease. Then, he turned to the girl. "We're here. Time to get up and make our presence known."

He smiled. It was sickening and sinister. Hoisting her up, he threw her unceremoniously over one shoulder. Katara struggled as he did so.

"Let me go! Stop it! Put me down!" She would have beat his back with her fists, but she couldn't manage it due to the ropes holding her arms. All she could do was kick with her legs, and it wasn't doing much good.

"There." Zuko twisted her around, supporting her weight with both arms. He was carrying her bridal style. "Is that better?"

Katara's blush was immediate. The more she tried to stop it, the more it spread across her cheeks like wildfire. It was enough to cause her to stop protesting. She was completely speechless. Everyone was staring at them, no doubt curious about their leader's newest prize, and it made her very nervous. She decided it would be best not to make such a big scene. Especially with so many of his minions around.

Before she knew it, they were off the ship and on dry land. There was a large citadel of some kind, a fortress with several towers spiraling off from it. It resembled a miniature castle, and it was clear that they were in Fire nation territory now. Or so it appeared. Zuko carried her into the large building, and she was in awe of the classy decor... Even if it was streaked with various shades of red, and very Fire nation oriented. He continued to carry her through it's many halls. His chest was so warm... Katara felt like could almost drift off to sleep. And she probably would have, if it had been someone she trusted and not... Well, Zuko.

It was clear that this island was still being well-maintained, even in his absence. The banished Prince seemed to have Fire nation troops ready to cater to his every need. All he wanted to do right now was get his captive settled in and let her tend to her wounds. He didn't even care that he'd been cut by her antics last night.

"This is where you'll be staying." He finally put her down when they were inside a small room. Working quickly to undo the knots, he set her free from her bondage.

Katara looked around, still regaining her balance. There was a decent-sized four poster bed, decorated with festive gold and shocking red. The material covering it looked like silk. The first thing she noticed was that there were no windows at all. There were two doors, once of which she already knew led into the maze of hallways they'd just come out of. The other she wasn't so sure about.

"What's behind this door?"

"Don't worry about it," Zuko carried a large glass of water over to a small sofa, in the corner of the cozy room. He put it down. "You can use this to heal your injuries. I'll be watching to make sure you don't try anything foolish."

"That can wait. I want to know what's-"

He grabbed her wrist before she could even grab the door handle. Luckily she'd used her non-injured hand this time. Zuko crept up behind her, pinning her against the wall beside the strange door. He could feel the pent-up lust building within him. He would have to be more careful from now on. He couldn't allow himself to get close to her. Yet, his chest still pressed against her back insistently, blocking her from moving.

"Let's not forget what happened the last time you did that." He breathed the words into her ear.

Katara felt a shiver go up and down her spine. A feeling of uncomfortable warmth spread through her center. She could hear each and every single syllable as it was rolling off his tongue. It mae her feel disgusted with herself, more than anything, once she realized what such feelings meant.

"Get off of me!" She whined, surprised to feel him back off at her request.

"Let's get a few things straight. While you are here, you answer to me, no one else. There are armed guards posted all around this place. We are on an island, surrounded by a thick forest and plenty of open ocean. We are not in the Fire nation, these are actually Earth nation waters. But we're close enough that if I called them, reinforcements would come running."

"Whatever..." Blue eyes rolled like ocean waves. "I don't care." She scooped up some water and used her Waterbending skills to cast a slight glow across it, touching it to her injured hand.

Zuko was trying to figure out why she had such a strange effect on him. It was a feeling completely foreign to him. He sat across one arm of the couch, watching her heal her burn injury. The water stopped glowing within a matter of seconds, and she returned it to the glass. Her burns were now gone. She was pretty good at healing. He would have to remember that.

Sitting down and folding her arms across her chest, Katara glared up at him. "Want to tell me why you're keeping me here? And why do you keep staring at me like that?"

He had forgotten himself once again. "Can you heal me too?" He pointed to the scarred side of his face with a look of shame.

She knew instantly what he was referring to, and a small knot formed in her stomach. He was talking about the time when they'd been imprisoned together in Ba Sing Se. Katara liked to pretend that it had never happened... They'd shared a pretty intimate moment that might have progressed into something more, had Aang not burst in at the worst possible moment. But before that, she had been about to use the special spirit water she'd gotten from the chief of the Northern Water Tribe to heal the disfiguring scar that spread across the entire left side of his otherwise flawless face. She had truly believed there might be some spark of good within him, at that time.

"I'm sorry, I can't anymore. I already used that special water on someone else."

It was true. Shortly afterward, she'd had to use it on one of Aang's injuries. And strangely, the Fire Prince could tell by the look on her face exactly who had recieved her care.

"Guess it was more important than helping a jerk like me..." Zuko looked away, turning his back to her.

Somehow, Katara couldn't help but feel bad. Ever since that day they were locked up together, she'd done her best not to think about it anymore... But every now and then the memories got away from her. It made her wonder; made her think about all kinds of things she didn't have the strength to face.

She watched as the Prince removed the glass of water from the room. He gave it to a guard that was posted just outside of her room and ordered him to dispose of it. This made her feel even more paranoid knowing there were people guarding her. Yet at the same time, she understood why he had to do this, as much as she did not want to. It seemed her feelings always stood in her way.

"I'll send someone to feed, bathe, and clothe you later. Stay in here and don't do anything." He made his way back into the halls, nodding to the guards to keep an eye on her on his way out.

Katara knew that was going to be very boring. But she was looking forward to having a little time to herself anyway. He'd been around her most of the time they were on the ship. She was glad he hadn't taken advantage of the situation, as most men would have.

After Zuko left, she decided to explore a little. She opened the door to her room, but the guards stopped her before she could go anywhere. Apparently that wouldn't work. They didn't say anything, just watched the girl as she meekly slipped back into her room and closed the door.

And then something on the far side of the room caught her eye._ 'Oh yeah.' _She thought. _'The strange door... Hm.'_

She knew she needed to test it to see if it would burn her. She could always heal herself again later when she had her bath, which she was looking forward to. The past few days at sea had not been kind to her. She tried touching the knob carefully with one finger. Nothing happened. At least it wasn't a trap. Katara cautiously turned the golden handle and the door creaked ominously open.

Katara was greeted with quite a sight. There, standing in the middle of another bedroom, stood the Fire Prince. He was fully nude, in the middle of changing clothes. Before she could get a good look at him, she squeaked and slammed the door closed.

"That's what you get for snooping around!" He called, as she made a mad dash for the opposite side of her room. He could hear her footsteps.

Zuko chuckled darkly to himself on the other side. Now she'd figured out that the door led to his bedchamber.

He was oddly embarassed, as he'd never been very confident about his looks, but he had other things to see to. Guards were outside his door as well, so she couldn't get out that way. And he wasn't too worried about her snooping through his things while he was gone. She was probably too stunned to try that again for a while. Having the girl around would prove most interesting.

* * *

**Thank you for reading.**

**-k.R.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hell's Rain  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar series or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story written for my own amusement.**

**WARNING: Adult situations and graphic sexual content. May also contain borderline, if not full-on, rape. Also some character death, angst, and other dark themes. If it's not your thing, then turn back now. You have been warned. This is written solely for my own amusement. If you don't like the pairing or the plot, then go elsewhere for your entertainment. This is my first Avatar fanfic... That being said, if you think you can handle it, then I hope you find it an enjoyable read. Feedback is welcome and appreciated.**

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

A few of the men were gathered around the Pi Sho table, one of them playing a game with Iroh while the others watched on. Some of them were waiting for their turn. He was drinking tea, while they were all drinking various other things. Some of which were filled with alcohol. The old man had a twinkle in his eye, as he turned away from the roaring fireplace to watch his Nephew storming into the room.

"What do you think you're all doing?" Their haughty leader demanded, placing his hands on his hips.

"We've all had a long, hard trip at sea. I think the men deserve a rest. And you do as well." Iroh chuckled lightly to himself. "

"Just be quiet, Uncle..." Zuko growled.

"Someone's tired and cranky. Did she wear you out so soon?"

He closed his eyes, sourly. "What are you babbling about?"

"Nothing..." Iroh made a move, and waited for his opponent to take their turn. "But perhaps you should be more patient."

"Patience won't get me what I want."

"You still have so much to learn. Relax, and have some tea."

He would let him make his own mistakes. Iroh was not foolish enough to think that Zuko would heed his warnings. And yet, he never could stop himself from providing them. Life lessons, no matter how difficult, must always be learned on one's own. Firsthand experience would forever be the best teacher.

Against his better judgement, Zuko took the piping hot cup offered to him, and sat down. Some of the men were giving him odd looks. It wasn't every day that the Fire Prince had tea with them.

"Do you have a plan?" The elder Fire Nation General continued to fish for information.

"Yes. It's already set into motion."

"Is that so?" An aged hand stroked along his long gray beard, as he contemplated his next move with care. The old man moved the tile across the table with precision. His opponent balked, and then made a hasty move. He moved his piece to defeat the other man. He smiled. "Patience is a virtue."

Zuko got up and left the room.

* * *

Katara could not believe what she had just seen!

_'Zuko... he... his...' _Her blush deepened tremendously._ 'Oh my gosh!' _She stifled a squeal.

When she'd opened the door which adjoined their rooms, he'd been undressing. He'd just stood there, fully nude and without a single care in the world! She should be ashamed of herself, but... If he'd only told her what lie on the other side of the strange door, she never would have tried to go in. Especially not at such a bad time. She'd been hoping it was a way out. Or a bathroom, where she could find water. Either would have worked for her.

She sighed, sliding down the wall to crouch in the floor. The Waterbender hung her head in defeat, hugging her knees to her chest. Perhaps she'd inherited a bit more of Sokka's 'natural curiousity' than she'd previously believed. He was her brother, after all. And although he was infuriating sometimes, she really missed him.

The girl was exasperated and frustrated beyond belief. Her hands tugged at her hair, causing part of the braid to come undone. Her hair was a mess anyway, and had been messy ever since she'd been captured. She'd been unable to look after it or even think about proper hygiene while she was tied up and they were at sea. She was actually looking forward to the bath Zuko had mentioned earlier. Hopefully it would be soon. If she were lucky, she might have a chance to escape then. Right now she had a migraine throbbing in her temples. She massaged them gently, but it didn't help. At least her blush had faded.

Getting up off the floor seemed like a good idea. Katara didn't want to soil the bed until she was clean, so she settled for the small sofa in the corner instead. There was nothing in her room to really occupy her, so for the time being, she just rested. She wasn't sleepy, so all she could do was stare at all the fancy decorations and wish she was back with Aang, Sokka, and Toph. She missed her friends terribly.

A few hours later, someone knocked at the door. "Are you decent?" A young man's voice called out.

"Yes, come in." Katara scrambled to her feet, getting ready to defend herself in case there was a fight. Even though she didn't have much fight left in her, she had to at least try.

"I've brought you some food." A random Fire Nation guard timidly placed a large tray on her bed.

It was filled with all kinds of food and several different varieties of drinks. It resembled palace food, the kind only rich people got to eat. And there was a lot of it. Some of the drinks wreaked of alcohol, so she would be sure to avoid those. It was far too easy to poison them. Not that it could fool her, a Waterbender. But it wouldn't be a good idea to become intoxicated in a place like this anyway.

Katara's eyes lit up at the welcome sight of food in front of her. "Oh thank you!" She dove right in, grabbing an apple hastily, in case it were to be snatched away from her.

"The Prince sends his regards and a message... His regret that he cannot tend to your needs himself."

"Why should I care?" She bit into the delicious fruit, the juices seeping down her neck and spilling onto her dress. The girl was far too hungry to care about anything other than sating her appetite at the moment. "Tell him thanks for the food."

The guard seemed indifferent to her plight. And kind of bored... He did give her a strange look, though. "Whatever, I'll let him know." He showed himself out.

After the guy left, Katara began to really dig in. She was starving! First she ate more of the fruit and a small salad for an appetizer. Then she started in on a plate full of meat and vegetables. She wasn't sure what kind of meat it was, but it tasted good enough. It made her miss the kind of meals she had back home. The Southern Water Tribe were a poor people, but it was what she was used to.

She only managed to make it about halfway through before she was full. Her headache slowly began to dissipate. It must have been from going so long without eating. It had been a few days. Taking a chance, she drank from a small metal chalice that looked like it had some kind of fruit juice in it. It didn't taste of alcohol, so she knew she'd made the right choice.

Her cerulean eyes widened in shock. _'...Wait a minute. Why would a Prince waste such good food and expensive drinks on a common prisoner? It doesn't make any sense!'_

Katara was a bit frightened that her room was actually adjoined to his. That made things look very bad, and for the first time, she was not completely sure of his intentions. Zuko appeared to merely be after the Avatar, but what if it went deeper than that? He could have kidnapped Toph, Appa, Momo, or even Sokka... But he'd gone for her instead. It could have been coincidence, but now she wasn't so sure.

She needed to find a way out of this place, and fast!

One thing they'd neglected to tell her was when she would be fed again. And the guard was already gone. Getting an idea, she picked up all of the fruit from the tray and a few other things. Whatever looked like it would stay fresh the longest.

_'There...' _She thought, as she tucked some of it under the bed and in the bottom drawer of the dresser beside of it._ 'That should help me out if there's a problem later.' _She smiled, pleased with herself for having the forethought to store food away. At least she wouldn't starve for a while. She'd ask about meal times later...

She had no idea what time it was, but she was tired after eating such a big meal. Kaara looked around the room, until she spotted it. There was a clock on the wall. It was old and very antique looking. It was around Ten o'clock at night already. No wonder she was so exhausted!

Yawning, she decided to try and get some sleep anyway. What she needed was a nice relaxing bath, but Katara didn't think it would be happening any time soon. Zuko had vaguely mentioned something about a bath earlier. That was before the guard had come in with her dinner.

She knocked lightly on the door that led into the hallway. There was no answer at all. Cracking it open revealed another guard's face. He was older and he didn't look very nice, but she took a chance anyway.

"Um... Excuse me?" She asked meekly.

"We're not permitted to speak with prisoners," The man said. He had such a rough, stern voice. It was very intimidating. "Unless we're ordered to. Sorry. You'll have to wait until they send a messenger or until the Prince himself returns."

"Returns? From where?"

"I told you. I can't tell you anything. Now get back inside."

"I... Well, I have to use the restroom." Big blue eyes pleaded with the mean guard.

"Come on, then." He motioned for her and when she stepped out of the room, he shackled her hands together.

The heavy iron cuffs made a clanking noise when she moved. He pulled the attached chain, leading her behind him. Katara looked around. There was no possible way for her to escape. They walked down the hall, and he opened a door on the left.

"How will I... clean myself?" The girl held up the cuffs for him to see.

She hated asking these men such embarassing questions. She really did. If only Zuko were here... Well, it would still be humiliating, but it might make it a little more tolerable. At least it would be someone she knew, even if she barely did. And even if he was pure evil...

"That's not our problem. Do the best you can. You have five minutes."

Katara was really getting annoyed now. But she closed the door with her elbow, and relieved herself. It was messy, but it worked. She'd never been so glad to be a Waterbender before in her life!

She emerged a few minutes later, and the guard was still impassive. He was scratching his pencil-thin beard, and contemplating something. Probably what time his shift ended. She allowed him to lead her back to her room without incident. The girl knew better than to try anything with a guy like that. He seemed like he had a bad temper, and he was very tall and muscular. Not someone she wanted to mess with.

"Stay in your room and someone will be in tomorrow to see to your needs... Probably."

"Thanks..." She muttered. There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

He removed the cuffs with ease, then hung them on the wall next to her door. "Okay, get in there."

With a sigh, Katara did as she was told. She'd have to do the best she could with what she had. She assumed she wouldn't be seeing much more of Zuko for a little while... Which was a partial relief, since she wouldn't have to worry about how close his bedroom was to hers. After thinking about it, she decided it was pretty unlikely that he'd try anything lascivious with her. Her logic was, if he were going to do something like that, he would have surely tried it when they were sharing a bed on his ship on the way here. And he'd done nothing of the sort really, so she couldn't even be angry. In fact, she felt a little guilty for even thinking that way. Having rooms so close to one another still didn't look good, though.

Right now she was a total mess, her hair was ruined, and she smelled bad. She knew she wasn't supposed to use her bending, but... No one was around. Thinking it was relatively harmless, she tried bending a little bit of water from a glass she'd been given with dinner.

It seemed she was not going to get a bath tonight, unless she did it the hard way. A long stream of water flowed around her body, soaking through her clothes and into her hair and everywhere... Katara took a deep breath. It felt so nice, even if it wasn't what she really needed. There was no soap to use, but she did the best she could anyway. Loosening her hair from it's braid, she let the water run through it for a bit.

After bending the water out of her clothes and hair, she was totally dry and felt a lot better. Even if she wasn't totally clean, it would do for now. Katara still didn't want to sleep in the bed until she'd had a legitimate, proper bath. So she settled back into her spot on the red plush sofa in the corner. It took a while, but eventually she drifted off.

The girl awoke with a start in the middle of the night. A chill went up her body... It was freezing cold! She had no more choice. Climbing into the bed, she quickly curled up under the nice warm covers. It wasn't enough to keep her completely warm, but it was better than being on the freezing cold sofa! She had trouble falling asleep, but eventually sleep found her.

* * *

**Thank you for reading.**

-k.R.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hell's Rain  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar series or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story written for my own amusement.**

**WARNING: Adult situations and graphic sexual content. May also contain borderline, if not full-on, rape. Also some character death, angst, and other dark themes. If it's not your thing, then turn back now. You have been warned. This is written solely for my own amusement. If you don't like the pairing or the plot, then go elsewhere for your entertainment. This is my first Avatar fanfic... That being said, if you think you can handle it, then I hope you find it an enjoyable read. Feedback is welcome and appreciated.**

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

Zuko had been very busy these past few days... He had a lot of business to attend to. He'd been handling things on a smaller island base just offshore, for the time being. It was there for defensive purposes, and as a cargo hold. He had to make sure they would all have enough supplies until he could send some men out with one of the ships to bring back more. He'd also had to oversee his latest plan. He had hired people who were trailing the Avatar, watching his every move. He was looking into another way to lure him to the island, if need be.

His plan was going well so far. Aang had apparently already discovered the note he'd left for him. And he'd left from there. Presumably, they were planning to try waiting it out somewhere nearby. The Fire Prince was resiliant, and would not allow such a plan to work. He'd keep her forever if he had to...

Speaking of which, he wondered how Katara was doing. Truth be told, he was a little worried about her. She didn't seem to adjust to change well.

He was finally on his way back to the tower where she was being kept. It was something like a summer hideout for him, but it was much too cold for anyone in their right mind to spend winter there. Good thing he'd never been in his right mind. He smirked, unable to contain the thought of what getting back would mean.

While he was away, he'd left everything at the tower under the care of his Uncle, former General Iroh. They shared quite a few similar twists in their twisted pasts. The first order of business would be to check in with him. Once the smaller war ship hit land, he would have his supplies within a few weeks, at the longest. Things were well on their way to becoming resolved. All he needed now was the Avatar. He knew Aang wouldn't want to attack him at first, but once he realizes there is no other possible way, he will change his mind. Zuko was sure of it.

When he arrived back, he found that Iroh was not playing Pi Sho this time, but drinking sake. The sweet rice wine tinted his breath with a terrible alcohol smell. The Prince found it rather revolting. The other men were nowhere to be found.

"I thought you'd given up that habit, Uncle."

"I thought you'd decided to mind your own business." The plump, elderly man hiccupped. "How are those plans of yours coming along?" He continued to take another drink.

"That depends," Zuko turned to him and smirked. "How is our newest prisoner doing? And how were things while I was away?"

"Everything is going just fine. And last I heard, she was well."

"_'Well'_? Is that all you have to say?"

Iroh yawned lazily, scratching himself. "I don't know, I haven't been in to check on her yet. I haven't heard a peep out of her the entire time. The guards tell me that she is fine, and hasn't tried anything strange. I had some food sent up to her once a day."

"_What_?!" His temper flared, and it showed in his dark amber eyes. "She's supposed to be fed at least twice a day, if not three times! Can't you follow even the simplest of orders?"

"I'm confused, Zuko..." The old man looked at him, still managing to appear wise, despite his slightly drunken state. "Why does it matter to you so much? I thought she was our prisoner?"

He closed his eyes, sighing heavily. "This is all a part of my plan. I can't explain it to you, in it's entirety, but... We need to treat her well. Palace standards, the whole thing. She is to be treated almost as a princess while she is here. I want to make sure all of the pieces are in place."

The younger Firebender was pacing back and forth, much like a tiger in a cage. He couldn't stand to be in one place for too long. His actions further demonstrated his restlessness. He was anxious, almost nervous. But most of all, he was impatient.

"Hm. I see... Just like a good game of Pi Sho. You've got to make sure all of the pieces are in place, and then wait for the proper chance to strike. Strike too soon, and the game will surely be lost."

"I'm in no mood for your ancient wisdom right now, Uncle. I've got more important matters to attend to." He began to storm off in the direction of his bedroom.

Something in the old man's voice stopped him, though. "And the girl?"

There was a brief pause in his step. Zuko floundered for words. "I don't know. What of her?"

"Be patient." He looked his newphew dead in the eyes as he said this, making sure to let him know there was a hidden meaning implied somewhere.

Zuko only turned away, scrunching up his face in annoyance. "You're enfuriating sometimes!"

"Haha... You seem confused. Is something wrong, Nephew?" The old man poured himself a cup of tea, this time without offering to share.

"No. I'll take over from here."

His footsteps slowly faded down the hall. Iroh took another deep drink and fell back into his previous slouching position.

"Ah... So nice to unwind."

* * *

Aang had found a small but comfortable rock to meditate on. He did this whenever he needed answers, or to calm himself down. The setting sun gleamed off the top of his head, as he continued his mantra. He was trying to decide whether or not he should go after Katara. And if so, how he should go about it. He didn't even have a decent plan yet!

The ocean roared nearby, casting a light mist into the air. Sometimes waves would lap at the base of the rock he was sitting on.

He sighed. "This isn't working... I'm not getting any of the answers I need."

"Maybe you aren't concentrating hard enough."

Sokka had been fishing all day. Ever since morning, when he'd woken up starving he'd been spearfishing off the beach. But the ocean had other ideas in mind... Each wave was slightly more powerful than the next, ganging up on the miserable boy, as he tried in vain to spear some fish. He was so hungry and they kept managing to elude him.

A wave crashed over him, pulling him under in one swift, powerful motion. After getting a mouthful of saltwater, he came up gasping for air. Aang had already gone back to his meditation.

"If you two blockheads are done, I think we should get a move on." Toph added in her two cents. "We have to try to find her before something bad happens. Now let's go already."

"I thought you didn't even like Katara?" Sokka batted his blue eyes in confusion.

"Hey..." The young asian girl squinted. "What's that?" She pointed toward the place where the shoreline joined the ocean. A small object was stuck in the sand.

Aang winced. "Can't a guy get a little bit of peace and quiet around here? Sheesh..."

Sokka ran over to where Toph pointed. It was a good excuse for him to get out of the ocean anyway. For someone from a waterbending tribe, he sure didn't like water that much.

Picking up a small glass bottle that had washed up on the sandy shore, he hesitated for a moment. There was a piece of paper inside, folded up. He managed to loosen the plug on the top, and took out the paper. Upon unfolding it, his eyes got really wide. His breath caught in his throat as he was reading it.

"You guys! I think it's a letter from Katara!" He jumped up and down excitedly. "And it's addressed to you, Aang!"

This certainly got Aang's attention. The bald monk leapt off the rock and bounded over to where his friend stood. Toph walked over too, but couldn't see what it said anyway. She still looked confused. Being blind, she was unable to read. She just counted herself lucky enough to be able to see through her Earthbending.

Aang and Sokka read the letter out loud together.

_"Aang- I've been captured. Zuko is just using me as bait, but I'm okay. I'll escape on my own when I get a chance. Whatever happens, do NOT come after me under ANY circumstances. -Katara."_

"Wow..." The Avatar breathed a small sigh of relief. "I'm glad she's okay... Or at least... She was."

"What are we gonna do now?" Her own brother was even at a loss. His arms hung from his shoulders limply.

Toph seemed to still have her wits about her. "We've got to save her, no matter what."

"But what if she's right? Maybe we should wait... Just in case." Aang reasoned. "There might be another reason she said to hold off. If he's planning to use her as bait, then it could be really dangerous if we do try to rescue her. What do you think, Sokka?"

"Uh... Why ask me?" He began inching away, picking up his spear and facing back toward the ocean. He was trying his best not to be noticed, but recieved a dirty look from Toph anyway. Momo swooped by and took the spear away from him.

Aang sighed. "This won't be easy... But I think we should find a safe place to try waiting this out. If it takes too much longer, we'll go after her anyway. They can't have gotten far."

But Toph adamantly disagreed. "If we wait any longer, that just gives them more time to get away. We have to at least find out where he's keeping her. And are we even sure that note is real?"

"It's real," Sokka confirmed it. "I think I'd recognize my own sister's handwriting when I see it."

"Then it's settled." The Avatar nodded solemnly. "We'll continue to look for her, but we won't try any rescue attempts just yet."

"We just need to concentrate on one thing at a time," Sokka had given up, and started packing everything back into Appa's saddle. "All packed, come on guys."

"Alright. We'll try." Aang airblasted his way onto the air bison's back. He waited for the others, leaning down to give Toph a hand up. "Everyone get in. Come on Appa, yip yip."

* * *

**Thank you for reading.**

**-k.R.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hell's Rain  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar series or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story written for my own amusement.**

**WARNING: Adult situations and graphic sexual content. May also contain borderline, if not full-on, rape. Also some character death, angst, and other dark themes. If it's not your thing, then turn back now. You have been warned. This is written solely for my own amusement. If you don't like the pairing or the plot, then go elsewhere for your entertainment. This is my first Avatar fanfic... That being said, if you think you can handle it, then I hope you find it an enjoyable read. Feedback is welcome and appreciated.**

* * *

**Chapter 6:**

When the door suddenly opened, it startled her. Katara jumped to her feet, half expecting a fight. She was ready to attack, her body already at the most advanced starting position she knew for Waterbending.

However, when she saw the burn scars covering nearly half of his once lovely face, she dropped her arms. The girl clearly didn't have very much fight left in her. She looked half starved or something. Her hair was down. She hadn't even bothered to braid it anymore. it hung in loose clumps all over her head, giving her a very disheveled look. Her cheeks were sunken in a little. There were dark circles beginning to form under her eyes. All things considered, she did not look well.

This made Zuko angry, and it must have shown on his face. He noticed her flinching away.

"It's alright..." He gave his best attempt at a soothing voice. He wasn't very good at it. Placing one hand on her cheek, as she had once done to him in a cave deep beneath Ba Sing Se, he let his fingers slide down her face. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Katara didn't believe him for a second. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Can I leave now?"

"I'm afraid not. But I want you to know... I'm really sorry about this situation."

"I don't believe anything you say. You're a liar! And a coward!" The girl coughed. She was sick. It must have been from the freezing temperatures here during the night, he realized.

"You're sick." Zuko stated the obvious.

"What of it?"

"Nothing, just..." He took her hand into his own, and she snatched it away hastily. "Look, I'm trying to help you out. You need medicine. I'm sure we have something that can cure you. Wait here."

Katara rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms. She sat on the edge of her bed. "Not like I can actually go anywhere anyway..." She muttered angrily.

The young Prince left the room, nodding to the guard on his way out. "And another thing... I'm fairly certain I had specified she was to have at least two guards posted on duty at all times. We can't afford to take any chances."

"Yes sir." The man saluted him. "I'll send for backup right away."

Katara didn't know how to feel right now. Physically, she felt like absolute crap. She'd learned the hard way just how cold it could get on this island during the night. It was horrible, and there seemed no way to keep the cold at bay. She'd become sick and he was right, she did have a nasty cough. It was all his fault.

She was unsure of whether or not to accept Zuko's so-called help. He was the one responsible for keeping her here, but he may also be her only way out. She wondered if there was a way to get on his good side, then maybe he would see reason and let her go. Or maybe he'd let his guard down just enough for her to hatch an escape plan. It was best to play along for now, but she was certain that she would never trust him completely.

He returned a while later with some pills and a small tray. There was a piece of warm bread and some fruit juice for her as well.

Zuko mixed some powder into a glass of fruit juice. "Here, drink this." He held it out for her to grab, but waited when she didn't take it.

She eyed him suspiciously. The girl was very wary of accepting his help. It was painfully obvious that she didn't trust him. But then again, why should she? He was the enemy. It would have been all too easy for him to add some poison into the mix. He was obviously trying to pass the concoction off as some sort of herbal remedy or something.

He recognized the look she was giving him. "It's okay, I promise. Look. I'll even have some too." He took a small sip from the glass and gave it to her.

"Fine." Katara snarled, snatching away the entire tray and going to sit on the small sofa on the far side of the room.

She wanted to get as far away from him as possible. She knew it might be a little childish, but she couldn't help it. The drink probably wasn't poisoned anyway, because he needed her for his plans. It made her wonder what would happen once her usefulness ran out. What would become of her when he no longer needed her, or worse, if he captured Aang? She shuddered, trying not to even think about it. All she wanted at the moment was a decent meal and to be warm for a change. And to get over whatever sickness she had. It felt like a common cold, but it was pretty severe.

Zuko could only watch her. He was helpless to do anything about how she acted. He could cage her and restrain her all he wanted, but her spirit refused to be swayed. She was still herself, beneath all of it; strong as ever and unchanging. It was something he'd always admired about Katara.

"What do you want from me?" The stubborn water tribe girl asked him, in between bites of bread. It wasn't much, but at least it was better than nothing. She'd already made good use of the food she had stored away previously.

"Nothing, I..." He hesitated, before dropping his head, crestfallen. "I'll leave you be. I hope you feel better soon." He meant it. She could see the sincerity in his eyes, even as he walked out.

Katara was confused. But she was still glad that he had left. She was weak and in pain and she wanted no part of whatever he had planned for her. It wasn't until after she'd finished eating and drinking the medicine he'd gotten for her that she truly realized how kind he was being.

Knocking interrupted her thoughts... Someone was at her door, but since the person knocked this time, she didn't think it was Zuko. He normally just barged right in.

"Come in." She called.

"Just bringing you your dinner..." A fire nation guard humbly bowed to her, serving her the tray this time.

"Who told you to bring this?"

"Prince Zuko. He says you will be getting three good meals a day from now on..."

Katara smiled then. She didn't even understand why, but she felt relieved. It was like when he came back, he was a different person. The fire Prince was a lot nicer to her now. She wondered why, but maybe it was better not to question it for the time being.

"Is there any way I can arrange to take a bath some time soon? I haven't had one since I've been here and I feel horrible."

"Absolutely, I will arrange it with the Prince for you. Someone should be in later tonight or if not, certainly by tomorrow." The guard bowed to her again and began to leave.

"Thanks..." She muttered, already digging in to the delicious looking food. It was better quality than what she'd been given up until this point. Maybe it was Zuko's way of apologizing?

* * *

**A/N: I'm so sorry it took me so long to update this story! I'm not giving up on it and this is by no means over yet. I just got busy with work and a lot of things so I didn't have a chance to work on it for a while. But I finally found some free time this week, lol. I hope you're all enjoying this and where it's going so far. I have big plans for this one. I really appreciate all of the wonderful feedback. Feel free to let me know what you think so far. And as always, thanks for reading! And happy Zutara month!**

**-k.R.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hell's Rain  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar series or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story written for my own amusement.**

**WARNING: Adult situations and graphic sexual content. May also contain borderline, if not full-on, rape. Also some character death, angst, and other dark themes. If it's not your thing, then turn back now. You have been warned. This is written solely for my own amusement. If you don't like the pairing or the plot, then go elsewhere for your entertainment. This is my first Avatar fanfic... That being said, if you think you can handle it, then I hope you find it an enjoyable read. Feedback is welcome and appreciated.**

* * *

**Chapter 7:**

Katara opened her eyes. She rolled over to look at the clock on the wall. Once again, she'd had to spend the night on the small, cramped sofa just to stay remotely warm. She knew more cold wouldn't be good for her illness. She got up. Her hair clung to the side of her head. It was slick with oil and grime. Tossing the pillow and blanket back onto her bed, she crossed the room and waited.

A guard came in, as soon as he heard her moving around. He brought her breakfast and silently left before she could even ask him about her bath or anything else. She assumed he must have forgotten.

She wasn't feeling well already, and she was too hungry and tired to care right then. Her head hurt and all of her muscles ached. Waterbending would be difficult, if not impossible now. The pain would definitely hinder her movement when she shifted through different stances and motions. While she was eating, she vaguley wondered if they were keeping her sick on purpose. It would work to their advantage if she were weak and helpless, so that would make sense.

She noticed that Zuko had at least let them know she needed medicine though. The strange white herbal powder had been placed beside her usual glass of water. She mixed it in and drank it down quickly. She just wanted to feel better. It was better quality food today, and they'd even given her some kind of fried meat with bird eggs. She was skeptical at first, but after a few days of eating stuff that could practically be considered garbage, it tasted delicious.

The girl stayed in the room all day long, with no more interruptions; no one for companionship. Nothing. It was quiet and desolate. She'd never felt so isolated before. At times, it felt like she would go completely crazy locked in this room... And all she wanted was to be able to clean up. It shouldn't even be that much to ask, really.

Eventually, another guard came in with her dinner. She noted that they'd skipped lunch though. She'd only gotten two meals today.

_ 'So much for his fake promises...' _

At least there was no need to hide food in her room this time. The quality was decent and she knew there would be more later... She ate her dinner in silence, knowing full well there was no use in asking them about anything again, or even in arguing with the guards. She'd tried that numerous times already and it never worked. They were all completely stubborn. Even worse than the man they served.

It wasn't until a few minutes after she'd finished everything that someone knocked on her door again. She was sure it was a guard coming in to take the food tray and empty plates back, but she told them to come in anyway.

"Pardon me, I'm here for the prisoner?" A fire nation female sauntered in. She was clad in something similar to the male guard's uniforms, with red armor over black and red clothing, so Katara assumed she must be a female guard. That was kind of rare around here. She was also a brunette, her hair long and straight, but her eyes were the familair yellow color that seemed so common among the fire nation.

"That's me..." She replied meekly. "I'm Katara."

"Oh, you're a girl? Well no wonder they asked me to this." When she noticed the girl's confused expression, she elaborated. "I'm here to take you to the bath chamber, my dear."

"Yes! Finally!" Katara's baby blues lit up. "I've been waiting for a while. Lead the way and I'll cooperate."

"Great. Right this way..."

The woman seemed to trust her, somewhat. She didn't bother to put her in chains or restrain her in any way. She seemed so strong and confident, a lot like Zuko... She walked outside and down the hall, motioning for the girl to follow behind.

Katara was a little uneasy, but she knew it would be refreshing to be able to bathe, finally. She tried to keep up with the woman's brisk pace. She noticed the other woman was considerably taller than her.

"We apologize for the inconvenience..." The guard talked to her while they twisted through the maze of hallways. "You see, no one has used this island for a very long time. When we got here, none of the plumbing worked right and most of it had to be repaired or replaced altogether. We've just finished with the royal bath chamber a few days ago, then the guard's quarters, and most recently the spare chamber. Which is where we're going now."

"So that's why it took so long?" Katara almost wanted to laugh. "I thought they were just ignoring my requests out of spite this whole time."

"That may also be the case..."

The girls passed many other rooms. Just as they walked by what smelled like the kitchen, another guard came out. He didn't question them, merely nodding to the female guard who was leading Katara around. She nodded back as they passed. It seemed to take a while, but they finally reached their destination.

The guard opened a big white door, and waited for Katara to walk inside. When she did, she took note of her surroundings... There was really nothing but a big hole in the middle of the floor, with a water faucet on the far side of it. It resembled a fancy garden tub. For the spare bath chamber, it was still pretty nice. Everything was carved out of smooth stone for the most part, a lot like the rest of this tower.

There was a towel laid out for her on a small bench. She noticed a small drain on the floor. Next to it was a table. There were some small bottles near the tub, each with a simple label. She heard the door click shut, and she waited.

"Okay. Get undressed." The guard ordered. "You can put your clothes right there." he pointed to the table, which was kind of obvious.

"What? With you still here?"

"It is regrettable, as I know how much people value their privacy, but yes. We cannot afford to have any prisoners escape. Especially you. Prince's orders. Besides... We're both girls, so it shouldn't even be a big deal. Not when I have to share shower stalls with the male guards every day. Before we left, you said you would cooperate, did you not?" She left absolutely no room for argument.

When Katara had said that, she hadn't known exactly what it would mean. She made a mental note to be more careful what she agreed to next time.

"Well, okay..." Nodding, she just did as she was told. She was still a little unsure whether she should.

Soon the blue and white garments were all lying in a heap on the small table. She unwrapped her underbindings and laid them there too. It was a little embarassing and belittling to be nude while the only other person in the room was fully dressed, but she knew would be worth it for a nice, soothing bath.

"I'll just be taking these, for now." The woman picked up her discarded clothing and it caused the girl to panic.

"_What?! No!_" Katara made an effort to snatch them away, but the guard was too quick for her. Her nimble fingers grabed only empty air.

"Relax," The guard only smiled. "We can't have anyone confusing you for fire nation, and since we don't have any water tribe clothing, I'll have these washed for you while you bathe. It shouldn't take long. I'm afraid you'll have to stay here until they're all clean. It wouldn't make sense to get clean and then put on dirty clothes. So no need to rush."

"Oh..." The waterbender blushed, feeling kind of silly. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little jumpy... Go right ahead."

"Look on the bright side. It would give you some privacy for a little while. But keep in mind, there are two male guards who will be posted right outside the door. They have orders not to come in, and they'll stay a good distance away so they can't peek in on you. If they do, let me know and I'll take care of them. Under no circumstances are you to bend anything in this room, and that includes the water."

"I just want to bathe in peace. _Really._" Katara assured her. She was already busy turning the faucet on and adjusting the water temprature to her liking.

"Enjoy your bath. Just remember, absolutely_ NO_waterbending!" She was dead serious. There may even have been a hint of a threat in there somewhere.

Cerulean eyes narrowed. "Of course not."

As soon as the obnoxious guard was gone, she knelt down to turn on the faucet. She adjusted the water temperature, and waited for the tub to fill. There were footsteps echoing down the hall but they weren't close enough to cause alarm.

After it was considerably full, she climbed right in. It was deep enough for her to easily submerge her whole body in it, up to her shoulders. She was just glad she could touch the bottom. And there were some ledges along the sides, like in a hot tub. All things considered, it was much nicer than she'd expected.

Katara picked up the bottle labeled 'Shampoo' first. She was so worried about her hair. She resolved to wash it out twice, just to make sure she'd gotten all of the oil and grime out. It was peaceful being in the water. It was her element and it made her feel much better... Soon she grabbed the bar of soap and began scrubbing at her skin furiously. She felt so filthy.

The door opened and someone came in.

"So as I was saying, the renovations should be-" The male guard stopped talking.

To Katara's complete and utter horror, Zuko was standing next to the man when they walked in. The fire prince's jaw dropped. He stared for several long moments, before turning away. His face was bright red.

The young waterbender almost thought it was cute, in a way. If she weren't so furious, she might have giggled. As things were, she wanted to murder them. The one saving grace was that the water had been turned a milky white from all the soap she'd used, which did wonders for concealing her feminine charms.

"Kataraaa- ah, uhm..." He had no idea what to say. Zuko continued to fumble for words.

"Our _sincerest_apologies, miss." The guard forced himself to recover. He bowed and closed the door quickly, before calling through it. "We were unaware that anyone was in here!"

"Well you should knock before entering a room! Especially a bathroom! _Idiots!_" She huffed, listening to their hesitant footsteps tiptoeing away.

Katara shrugged. They seemed to be way more worried about it than she was. And she'd gotten even more of an eyefull a few weeks ago on her first night here, when she'd walked in on Zuko... He'd been stark naked. At least she had the water to help hide herself. She was just thankful she'd been so relaxed, or else she might have tried waterbending at them. It was a reflex she'd developed over time.

A short time later, the female guard came back with her clothes.

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**A/N: I am so sorry it took me so long to update this new chapter, guys... I hope you're still enjoying the story. I thought this scene was cute. xD And at least I managed to squeeze one more chapter in before Zutara month is over, lol. I'm a sad panda right now. Thank you for all of the encouraging reviews, I really appreciate it. Yay for longer chapters!**

**-k.R.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hell's Rain  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar series or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story written for my own amusement.**

**WARNING: Adult situations and graphic sexual content. May also contain borderline, if not full-on, rape. Also some character death, angst, and other dark themes. If it's not your thing, then turn back now. You have been warned. This is written solely for my own amusement. If you don't like the pairing or the plot, then go elsewhere for your entertainment. This is my first Avatar fanfic... That being said, if you think you can handle it, then I hope you find it an enjoyable read. Feedback is welcome and appreciated.**

**Note: This is probably the chapter I warned you about. ...Yeah.**

* * *

**Chapter 8:**

That night, it was very cold. Katara had come back from her bath feeling refreshed and rejuvenated... Only to find out the hard way that sleep was completely impossible. Every time she would lay still and try to close her eyes, she felt her body temperature drop even more. The medicine they'd given her had made her feel much better, but now the cold was doing far more damage. It had to be freezing outside!

She got up and paced to try to keep herself warm. Whenever she stopped, she felt the chill sink in once more. She had to keep moving. Wearing as many layers of clothing as she could was only helping a little.

Approaching the door to her room, she cracked it open a little. Luckily they still weren't in the habit of actually locking it. But why lock it when there were guards posted right outside? Especially when she had done nothing to cause trouble since she'd been here. Part of her almost hated herself for not trying harder to escape. There didn't seem to be any way out, though.

"Um... Excuse me?" She batter her baby blues at the buff male guard. It looked like they had changed shifts again. She'd already had to deal with him once before, but this time he was alone without his partner.

"Hm?" The man merely grunted at her. It seemed like he was in a very bad mood.

"It's really cold tonight..."

He scowled at her, with a frightfully piercing gaze typical of the Fire Nation. "Yeah. So what?"

"I was wondering if you get me any kind of heat source...? I'll take practically anything. There must be some way to keep warm here."

"We're on an island in the middle of nowhere. So not really."

Katara sighed, exasperated. This was getting her nowhere. "Please do something? Can't you at least let someone know? Tell Zuko or something? I'm freezing and I just had a bath. My hair is still wet."

"That's not really my problem. And the Fire Prince is busy. Now get back inside."

She had no choice but to do as she was told. Inside, she slumped, leaning against the door carelessly. She heard and also kind of felt the lock click shut from the other side.

_ 'So now I actually am locked in. Great. Way to go, Katara...'_

Complaining to the guards had done her no good. Now what? All she could do was hope for the best, and do whatever she could to keep warm in the meantime. But nothing was working. It was cold and dark. Not to mention that her hair was still soaked from her bath, which certainly didn't help matters any.

Suddenly, the other door came to her attention. The door that joined their two rooms together. It served almost no purpose most of the time, other than allowing Zuko to keep a closer eye on his most highly valued prisoners. The room she'd been staying in was probably meant for when he captured the Avatar... Which would never happen, if she had anything to do with it. But differences aside, she was almost certain his bed must be warmer than hers. A Prince would not be made to suffer in the cold, right?

Nodding firmly to herself, she strengthened her resolve and crept slowly closer to the forbidden door. Katara moved the handle as slowly as she could. She didn't want to wake him, if he was even in there. Thus far, he had not disturbed her. She knew she was trespassing but she went in anyway.

Very carefully, she made her way across the room. She really didn't think anyone was in his room right now. There was no sign of Zuko anywhere... Although there were a few candles lit here and there, casting a dim glow over everything. If he was anything like a normal teenager, like Sokka for instance, he probably preferred staying up as late as possible. Small waves of nostalgia washed over her. She really missed her brother... And Aang. And even Toph, a little.

Now that she was in Zuko's room she wasn't really sure what to do with herself. There was a pile of blankets on his big, heavily ornamental four poster bed. Tiptoeing slowly across the floor, she went for the only place that she felt might hold any warmth. When she got closer it felt even warmer.

Suddenly, the pile of blankets moved. Katara held her breath. She was frozen in place.

The young Prince stirred in his sleep, displacing the blankets he'd had wrapped around him. In a sleepy voice, he yawned. "...Yes?" His hair fell around his face, messy and disheveled. He'd been sleeping on only a pair of night pants. They appeared to be made of some kind of silk.

Yellow clashed with blue.

Katara looked deeply into his eyes... And saw only what she wanted to see. "You're a damned liar! I hate you!" She hissed, unable to hide the scorn from her voice. Her hand flew toward his face.

"Feeling better, I take it?" He smirked, grabbing her hand before she could strike him. Zuko sat up and leaned forward.

She tried to pull away but it was possible. "Let me go! I haven't done anything to you! I just..."

"What is troubling you so?" He only stared at her intently.

"I'm... cold." Katara's arm went slack at the realization of how childish she must have sounded in that instant. "And more than that, I want to go home. I have to get back to my friends; I have to help Aang."

"Leaving isn't a possibility. You're a prisoner of the Fire Nation now. You know that."

"Well it's absolutely freezing in that damn room you locked me in! I tried speaking with one of the guards about it, and he was a total jerk."

Zuko rolled his eyes, but at least he let go of her wrist. "Fine. Can I go back to sleep now?" He fell down backward onto the big soft bed, the fur covered blankets fluffing up around him.

Katara looked around. "Why is it so warm in here? My room is _freezing_! You can't even spare so much as a few candles for me to keep warm? I can't even sleep. So if I can't, you can't."

In the back of her mind, she was a little frightened. She knew she shouldn't be ranting and yelling like that. Especially not to someone who could whatever they wanted with her. Yet, nothing could stop her anger from rising.

"You will do as I say!" For the first time since she'd been here, he began to lose his temper with her. He was getting up off the bed now.

Zuko moved toward her and towered over her, dangerously. His face was practically inches from hers and she could feel the scorn coming from him in waves... Katara was so scared she could barely move. She regained her senses after a moment and hit his chest, shoving him backward.

Her bending instincts kicked in, and she used the only thing nearby that she felt was suitable. She was nothing, if not resourceful. A stream of molten candle wax flew across the room. Zuko arched his back and screamed from the searing pain as it burned the skin along his back.

"Ah! That's it! I've _had it _with you!" He reached out and took hold of her upper arm, just below her shoulder. His grip was bruising. "How _dare_you presume it's okay for you to trespass in my room! You are my prisoner, and you belong to me! I will do whatever is necessary to teach you that lesson. Even if it means breaking you completely."

In that instant, he failed to realize how very much like his own father he sounded... That was something which would have disgusted Zuko, had he taken the time to think about it. But all he could feel at the moment was pure rage.

Katara let out a yelp, as he dragged her into his bed. "Zuko, let go!" She gasped.

"So you want to be _warm_?!" He screamed. "I'll warm you up, alright! And I'll make sure you never forget it!"

Her cerulean robe came off with a simple pull, it ripped to shreds from the way he tore it, and left her tan skin exposed. Her bindings were starting to unravel. Zuko noticed and gave them a harsh tug. Katara's arms flew to her chest to try to hide her body from his searing gaze. He was drinking her in with his eyes.

"Agh! Stop it!"

"Why should I? No one's going to stop me. I can do whatever I want to you and the guards won't save you. They're all under my command. And so are you. Now take off your clothes. All of them."

His voice was stern and unwavering. Katara knew she had no choice... He was right. No one would help her. Yet, she could not bring herself to go through with it. This was too humiliating for her. Tears began to form in the corner of her eyes, making them glint dark blue in the candle light.

"You don't want to do this, Zuko... Please believe me." Katara placed a gentle, but firm hand on his shoulder.

He pried her hand away from him. "I am perfectly aware of what I want to do." His eyes scanned over her body, already raping her with his lascivious thoughts. "This island is a lonely place. Don't complain to me about this, when you were the one whining about not being warm enough. I'm going to make sure you're nice and warm..."

He took what remained of her clothes off himself and then began disrobing. Katara was crying now, her body shaking with pitiful little sobs as she tried in vain to fight him off. He seemed to be in a rush. Zuko was already hard as a rock, and her eyes fell to take in a sight she never thought she'd witness. His manhood was quite large, compared to all she'd ever seen at least. She knew it would hurt her a lot. His calloused hands pawed at her chest, pinching and pulling at her sensitive breasts.

"Please... Don't." She was not above begging, at this point. "We spent many nights sleeping next to each other before, and nothing happened. I thought you were different. I thought you were better than this." The girl continued to sob, inching away from him on the bed. Not that it would help.

"Do not take me for a saint." He growled. "I'm still a man, I still have needs."

In one swift movemnet, he trapped her and pinned her beneath him. He didn't even bother to kiss her. He was in far too much of a hurry. He could feel the heat pouring off of her. For someone who was so cold, she seemed warm enough to him. Holding her as close to him as possible, Zuko lined himself up with her entrance, and pressed against her...

_ And then he stopped. _

Something within him seemed unwilling to let go of his control completely.

Katara lay there on his bed, dazed and confused. She'd had her eyes closed in pure terror before, anticipating the pain she would have to endure, but now he was staring up at him. Nothing registered in his eyes. Just a cold blank stare... Zuko moved off of her. She immediately grabbed at the blankets on his bed, using them to cover herself.

"Katara..." His voice was laced with concern, as he watched her scramble away from him. "I..."

"Just leave me alone..." She cried, when he tried to reach for her. "Don't touch me! You've done enough!"

Katara's sobs continued for several minutes, as she waited in terror to see what else he would try to do to her. When he didn't move, it kind of scared her even more. She knew how to defeat most men in battle almost without having to think about it. But this was something different, an entirely new kind of terror which she had never been faced with before. It was the ultimate threat.

She'd never been with any man, although she was not too naive to understand how things were supposed to work. She knew what he'd almost done to her. She also knew that it was supposed to be an act of love, not of violence. In her eyes, he was nothing more than a monster at this point.

There was nothing the Fire Prince could say right now. He was silent, and could only wait for her to become comfortable enough to stop crying. He wanted to hold her and let her know he no longer meant her any harm, but it was far too late for that now. She was afraid of him, and that was not how he wanted it to be. He wanted to be respected, not feared...

_ 'I've become just like _him_...' _Zuko hung his head in defeat. _'There's no going back now. No way that I can redeem myself...'_

* * *

**A/N: I have not forgotten about this story, and I will not give up on it. xD I just have a lot of priorities and other things to take care of, like work and school, among others. I'm still working as fast as I can to keep this updated regularly. Sorry about the wait. And thank you so much to those of you who continue to read.**

**I do apologize if you don't like rape scenes, but I gave you a fair warning. And at least he did not go through with it completely. If I get flamed for this, I am only going to copy and paste the warning, which can be found at the top of every single chapter. If you chose to ignore it, that is not my fault. The story is not over yet, so please don't judge their relationship based on this one scene until the story is finished. ;)**

**-k.R.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hell's Rain  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar series or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story written for my own amusement.**

**WARNING: Adult situations and graphic sexual content. May also contain borderline, if not full-on, rape. Also some character death, angst, and other dark themes. If it's not your thing, then turn back now. You have been warned. This is written solely for my own amusement. If you don't like the pairing or the plot, then go elsewhere for your entertainment. This is my first Avatar fanfic... That being said, if you think you can handle it, then I hope you find it an enjoyable read. Feedback is welcome and appreciated.**

* * *

**Chapter 9:**

She was shaking violently, trembling with fear... Every time he looked at her all she saw was the pain of what he had almost done to her. Katara found herself unable to speak or even move for the time being. She knew that she should run away... But where would she go, anyway?

_ 'He's right... I am his prisoner. I'm stuck here, to face him and whatever he wants to do with me.' _The reality of just how grave her situation really was had finally sunk in.

Zuko didn't want to startle her, but he needed to get some sleep. He had a lot of things to do tomorrow. He couldn't just leave her alone in his room. There was no telling what she might do... And it wouldn't be right to send her back to her ice cold room either. And there was no way she'd ever calm down enough to share a bed with him again. He'd just ruined all semblance of peace between them.

_ 'Damn it. I've been such a fool.'_

Sighing, he got off the bed. He'd finally decided what to do.

Katara could only watch, as the Fire Prince disappeared through the door that led to her room. She couldn't have spoken if she'd wanted to. Part of her wanted to know what he was up to, but the other part was just glad he wasn't anywhere near her.

"Goodnight..." He told her. "And sorry."

* * *

Katara had drifted off to sleep, after a long night of staying up worrying. Zuko had never returned to his room. She was a little more calm now that she'd made it through the night. She wasn't sure what time it was or why she'd woken up. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was later than she usually slept, around ten in the morning she guessed.

Being careful to keep the fluffy blanket wrapped around her frame, the Water Tribe girl crept her way toward the ominous door that separated their two rooms. She wanted to know what he'd been up to and why he'd left like that... If he was even still there.

She found her attacker sleeping in her bed. His brown hair was messy and hung around in his face in clumped spikes as he snored loudly. He looked so peaceful. For some reason, it brought a smile to her face.

_ 'What is wrong with me? I must be completely insane.'_

Unsure whether it would be safe to wake him, she wandered back into his room... She knew she was lucky to have gotten away with her virginity in tact last night. He'd been so rough and horrible but... In the end, he _had_ stopped.

She didn't want to be rude by going through his things while he was out. She realized that if he'd truly been cruel, he would have sent her back to her cold room. Why had he given her the warm and comfortable bed? That didn't make sense to her. Then again, nothing here really did. All things considered, she really could use some time to herself to think about everything. So she was content to sit on his bed wrapped in the same blanket until something happened. Either Zuko would wake up or she'd eventually cave and just go wake him.

She eyed her water tribe outfit, discarded nearby on the floor... It was torn to shreds. There was no way it could be repaired.

About an hour later, there was a knock at the door. She wasn't sure if she should answer it, but she kind of had no choice right now. They'd know something was up if no one answered. Gathering all of her nerve, she crossed the room to see what they wanted.

"Nephew, are you awake yet?" A familiar voice called.

Katara opened the door, clutching the blanket tightly around herself. It was the old general, Iroh. Though he was old, she'd seen him fight quite a few times and she knew he was not someone to be trifled with. She noticed he was looking her up and down with suspicion.

"Oh, uh... Zuko isn't here right now. Try next door." She blushed, realizing how it must have looked.

But Iroh was respectful to her. He even bowed. "My apologies for disturbing you, miss. Is everything alright?"

Katara debated telling the man about what had happened last night. Since he was Fire Nation, and on top of that he was related to the royal family, she decided against it. He would undoubtedly have been on Zuko's side anyway. "Everything's fine. Thanks."

She watched him go to the next door, and mumble something to the guards, who let him in. They seemed unaffected by her presence. Now would be a good time to run... But she didn't want to fight two powerful Firebenders at the same time. And the guards were right there, too. They'd be able to catch her in no time and then she'd really be in big trouble.

Iroh sauntered into the prisoner's room, seeing his Nephew sprawled out across the guest's bed. Gently shaking him, he finally succeeded in waking Zuko up.

"I see someone certainly had an interesting time last night," Iroh smiled jovially. "Judging from the state of the poor young maiden next door."

Zuko scowled. "It isn't like that, Uncle. Get your head out of the gutter, old man."

"Haha... Whatever you say. I've come to tell you the reinforcements you sent for have arrived. And to discuss this plan with you. Surely you can't-"

"I've already thought things through. It will work, Uncle. Just give it time." He sat up and his palm flew to caress his temples. He had a splitting headache. "I need some medicine. My head hurts."

"Well in any case, you slept through breakfast. It's almost lunch time now... Had a late night, did you?"

Yellow eyes narrowed to angry slits. "Shut up."

Suddenly, they heard one the guards yelling just outside the door. "Hey! Get back here!"

"Don't just stand there!" The other added. "After her!"

This caused the Prince to jolt out of bed. He was at a loss for words, as he knew instantly what it was. The girl he'd been holding prisoner was making a run for it. He was down the hall in no time, running after the guards, just as she turned the corner. They were on her heels. He knew she wouldn't get far but he still had to make sure she didn't escape. Some of the guards could be rather clumsy at times.

Iroh was still standing in the middle of the room, shaking his head.

Katara had decided, against her better judgment, to attempt an escape anyway... After all, what did she have to lose? Her freedom? Tch.

Barely making it down three halls until she ran into a dead end, Katara was snagged by the first guard almost immediately. Today's guards looked kind of bulky and stocky, but they were much faster than they appeared.

When Katara tried to dodge him, he dove at her and managed to grab hold of her ankle. She twisted out of his grasp with a swift kick to his side. The first guard buckled over in pain, but the other was still pursuing her. That was when she noticed someone else had joined them. Zuko was on her trail too. She ran away from the dead end, and managed to make it out in time before they reached her.

_ 'Oh crap... Not good!' _The girl barely even had time to think, as she ran through the maze of corridors she knew nothing about. _'It would help if I knew which way to go...' _

It would have been a lot easier to run if she still had her traditional outfit. Escaping with only a blanket was going to be a pain. She sighed, and grabbed the black fur folds which fluffed up against her silken skin. If only Zuko hadn't torn her clothes off of her... That was why she knew she had to get out of there, and fast. The sooner she escaped and got back to Aang and Sokka, the sooner she'd be safe. And then all of this would be behind her. She wouldn't have to worry about what the Prince would do to her.

Speaking of her friends, she wondered what the rest of the gang was up to right now...

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**A/N: I really don't have much to say in these little author notes right now... I hope everyone is enjoying the story. Sorry again for slow updates, and sorry this chapter is so short. I will try to make the next one longer. School, work, and life are keeping me pretty busy.**

**-k.R.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hell's Rain  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar series or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story written for my own amusement.**

**WARNING: Adult situations and graphic sexual content. May also contain borderline, if not full-on, rape. Also some character death, angst, and other dark themes. If it's not your thing, then turn back now. You have been warned. This is written solely for my own amusement. If you don't like the pairing or the plot, then go elsewhere for your entertainment. This is my first Avatar fanfic... That being said, if you think you can handle it, then I hope you find it an enjoyable read. Feedback is welcome and appreciated.**

* * *

**Chapter 10:**

Aang and the others were walking by the docks. They were hoping to find some clues in this small fishing village. After debating it for a while, they'd decided to head North and see what they could find out. It was more or less an information gathering mission right now. They hadn't found any clues in the last three or four towns they'd passed though. Most of the Earth Kingdom villages wanted to remain as neutral as possible, so not many people were willing to dole out information very easily.

This time they finally hit paydirt. Sokka was the first to spot the Fire Nation ship as it was pulling into the modest little harbor. Of course the dark red war ship stuck out like a sore thumb. There seemed to be both Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation people inhabiting this area.

"You guys!" He pointed. "Look over there!" When he remembered that their female companion could not see it, he decided it might need further clarification. "A Fire Nation ship! Looks like it's just arriving..."

"I can't believe our luck!" Aang shouted happily, dropping his staff in his excitement. He picked it back up hastily.

"We should be careful... If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." Toph was skeptical.

But the Avatar would not be dissuaded. "This is the first time since the note that we've had any leads. What's wrong with being a little optimistic?"

The Beifong girl moved her onyx hair out of her face, and sighed. It fell right back into place, which irritated her. These boys would never learn. Nonetheless, she followed the other two in the direction they were going. Times like these made her really wish she could see things in the water. Water had vibrations too, but she'd learned long ago that they were far too small for her senses to pick up on.

Aang sized up the ship, looking for any clues that Katara might be on board... But there missing team member was nowhere to be found. There only seemed to be soldiers, which was a hopeful sign.

"Listen, I just thought of something... We can't just go right up to the ship directly. It would be too suspicious."

Sokka and Toph both stopped and nodded in agreement.

"Okay, then what exactly should we do?" The Water Tribe warrior asked him.

"Our only goal right now is finding Katara."

"And she's probably not even on that ship." Toph added. "It might not even be one of Zuko's ships. There's also General Zhao to deal with. Not to mention the royal brat's pain-in-the-butt sister."

"That's true," Sokka chimed in. "Maybe we could ask them where they're from? Like start a casual conversation with them or something?"

"No, that's no good. Since when have Fire Nation soldiers been friendly to anyone?" The blind girl pointed out.

Aang had heard enough. There had to be some way... He paused to think for a moment. "I got it!" He grinned. "What if we just take one of the weaker ones somewhere, and ask them for information when they're alone? If we can catch one person off guard, it should work."

"You mean like torture someone?" Toph's eyes widened in disbelief. That didn't sound like the Avatar she knew.

"Well yeah, maybe."

"Hm... You're in luck, twinkle toes... You happen to be in the company of an expert torture specialist." She pointed to herself with sudden pride. "You two go capture someone, and take them out into the woods. Just leave the rest to me." As she spoke, she gestured to the surrounding forest area with her head.

She'd already started off in the designated direction before her companions could even argue. It was the best plan they could come up with on the spur of the moment like that. And right now, it was all they had. Aang was smiling, but Sokka just stood there in confusion.

Finally he said something. "Why does she get to have all the fun?" The Water Tribe boy pouted.

"I have to admit, it sounds like a pretty solid plan." Aang chirped. "Let's go."

"Already? But we'll need disguises. And food too. I'm starving."

"Your stomach can wait for a bit. This is really important, and if we wait too long, we might lose our chance altogether. We'll go into that alley and change."

Sokka followed him into the shadows and opened the pack he'd been carrying. He took out a change of clothes, and a beard he wore when he went incognito as Wang Fire. That character had become something like an alter ago for him. Aang seemed more content to play a different role each time. But just to be on the safe side, he used his Fire Nation school uniform from another village they'd spent some time in.

They changed quickly, wanting to make sure they caught one of the soldiers before they had a chance to leave. The pair moved swiftly out into the open, blending in with the small crowd of people around the docks.

"Look at those two," The young monk pointed. "I think they're staying behind to guard the ship. And they have less armor than the others. They'd make good targets."

"Yeah. But how do we make it to them?"

"We'll make up a story or something..."

Sokka tossed some ideas around in his head for a minute. "We can say we're looking to hire a ship to take us somewhere. If we can find out where Katara is, that story might become true."

"Sounds good. Let's go."

Aang led the way and Sokka followed him over to the men. The soliders had just emptied from the ship, and only the two guards remained. The first one, on the left, looked cold and strict. The man on the right had a softer expression. His long brown hair fell around his face in smooth straight tendrils, while the other man had a more military buzzcut style. The guard on the right wore a kind expression, despire his dark coal eyes.

Since Sokka was dressed as an adult, he decided it would look better if he spoke to them first. "Excuse me, but can you tell me where I can find the owner of this ship?"

It was cheesy enough to almost make the Avatar facepalm. And yet, it seemed to be working.

The first man responded with a smirk. "Yeah, but he's busy gathering supplies with the men. Just a low ranking General. Nothing to be upset about really. You can calm down and go back to your busy lives. We aren't here to start trouble." He seemed to be reasonably level-headed and they'd obviously left him in charge for a reason.

"It isn't like that," Aang tried to straighten it out. "We need to hire a ship. And maybe some deckhands and guards too."

"Wherever you're headed to, I'm sure it isn't where we're going. Move along and keep looking. Might want to try that one, over there." He pointed to a small merchant ship across the bay from them. The other guard had a less dissmissive tone.

"Yeah," The two Fire Nation men shared a good laugh about it. "Looks like he'd accept just about any job."

It made Aang kind of mad... They shouldn't pick on those less fortunate than themselves. Then again, it was to be expected from Fire Nation. But their pointless banter actually gave him an idea.

"Well your ship seems a lot more secure. And if you can help us, our boss is willing to pay you double, if not triple what you're currently making. So it's something to think about."

"Where's your boss?" The second guard asked in a demanding tone.

"She's not far from here..." Sokka exchanged a look with Aang. He could see they were buying it.

"Your boss is a woman?"

"A really strong minded lady, tough as nails. She's rich too. If you'll follow us we can talk about it in more detail."

"I'd consider it, but it will have to wait." The first guard was very stern. "We can't abandon our post until everyone gets back. The consequences would be dire."

Aang decided to play hard to get. "Come on, Wang. We'll just have to look elsewhere for someone who can help us with the Princess."

He began to lead his elderly disguised friend away. Instantly, the two guards seemed to have their interests piqued. The indifference card worked nearly every time. Fire Nation soldiers were so gullible.

"Wait, Princess?" The second guard seemed really interested. "Who is she?"

"Ever heard of Princess Yue, from the Northern Water Tribe?" Sokka blurted. "She's our prisoner and we need someone to help transport her with us to Fire Nation."

"Yeah, I've heard of her. But I heard she died or something..."

He waved a hand dismissively. "Nah. That's just the cover story we had to give in order to protect her. There are a lot of bad things going on right now. She's technically a prisoner of Fire Nation. I can't believe you didn't know. Must be a bit farther out of the loop than you appear."

The first guard seemed to be getting rather annoyed by their antics. Aang decided he needed to seal the deal, before it was too late. "Maybe just one of you could come with us? Then you wouldn't have to abandon your post. Just come with us to talk to the boss and then we'll walk you back in a little while."

"Sounds like a brilliant idea, my boy." Sokka, or 'Wang Fire', laughed jovially while stroking his beard. "What do you say? Which of you would like to join us?"

"We don't get any breaks until high noon..." The first one muttered. "I'm not going to risk getting in trouble, but if you want to, that's your perogative."

"I'll do it," The second guy took the bait beautifully. "I've been wanting to find something to earn better pay anyway. Maybe I could help you out."

"Go on then." The other guard told him. "I'll watch the post. Just be back before we leave, I doubt they'd wait for either one of us."

"Yeah, we're just lackeys. I'll be back soon."

Aang was so excited. Their plan seemed to be going off without a hitch. Maybe they would find out some usefuol information at last!

"Right this way, my good man..." 'Mr. Fire' hastily led him away from the ship.

The three of them walked toward the designated area. They took the shortest path to the place they thought Toph had disappeared to. There seemed to be a small trail through the underbrush where she'd had to make her own way through.

"Why is she waiting for us way out here?" The man still had his guard up. "Couldn't she have just come with you two in the first place? If I didn't know any better, I'd think this was some sort of trap."

"There's a perfectly logical reason for it..." Aang tried to explain, but couldn't think of anything on the spot that would be very believable.

Sokka had taken to hmming to himself as they walked, to keep up the facade that nothing was wrong. The way the guy was talking seemed to be making Aang a little nervous. He also thought the humming might help Toph to locate them better.

"You see, our boss is blind." 'Wang' explained. "And if she were to join us, there are a lot of seedy merchants that would take advantage of her. She doesn't like it when people take her for a fool. But she's been tasked with a very delicate mission, all the same."

"I see..." Thankfully, he accepted that answer.

"Hello." Toph came out of the bushes right behind them, causing the others to turn and gasp. She'd startled all of them.

"An Earth Kingdom girl?" He noticed her traditional green, yellow, and gold clothing right away and his eyes narrowed. "What is this?"

She batted her eyelashes playfully. He was fair game, now that they'd managed to lure him far enough into the wilderness. His partner shouldn't be able to hear his screams all the way out here, and she could tell there was no one else around.

"You're about to find out."

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**A/N: Yeah, you get a chapter with Aang, Sokka, and Toph. I'm sorry if they were OOC. I needed this scene for the story and it is what it is I guess... I'm trying to update more often so I can wrap this up soon. Don't worry, it's probably not even close to being over yet.**

**-k.R.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hell's Rain  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar series or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story written for my own amusement.**

**WARNING: Adult situations and graphic sexual content. May also contain borderline, if not full-on, rape. Also some character death, angst, and other dark themes. If it's not your thing, then turn back now. You have been warned. This is written solely for my own amusement. If you don't like the pairing or the plot, then go elsewhere for your entertainment. This is my first Avatar fanfic... That being said, if you think you can handle it, then I hope you find it an enjoyable read. Feedback is welcome and appreciated.**

* * *

**Chapter 11:**

Aang grabbed him from behind, holding his hands behind his back while Toph punched him in the stomach. Sokka wasn't sure what to do, but he took a length of rope out of his pack and tied the man's wrists together. The guard never stood a chance when it was three on one, and he probably couldn't even Firebend or he would have used it by now.

"We hate to do something like this to you," The Avatar tried his best not to seem hostile. "But we really need information on our friend."

Sokka decided to give them more information. "Her name is Katara and she's from the Southern Water Tribe. She's my sister. She looks just like me, only a girl. And younger."

"...And_ prettier_." Aang added.

"_Hey_!" The Water Tribe boy lashed out in mock anger.

Toph laughed. "Yeah, now tell us what you know!" She stomped, making the ground quake a little for emphasis. "Just leave this to me, guys. I'll get him to talk."

The man looked utterfly terrified. "Someone help! Anyone, please! I'm being robbed!" He called for help, just like they'd known he would, but to no avail.

The Earth Kingdom girl hit him over the head. It was obvious that she was holding back a lot of her strength, to avoid killing him or knocking him completely unconscious. It was just enough to hurt a little.

"That's enough. They can't hear you, we're too far away. We aren't robbing anyone. We want to know where Katara is. Tell us what you know, or you die!" She was right in his face now, her eyes unseeing, yet narrowed dangerously.

"I have no choice," The low-ranking Fire Nation soldier hung his head in defeat. He couldn't get away. "But I honestly don't know anything abut her. They don't tell me any vital information, all I get are orders and more orders. And I hear the occasional rumor floating around, but I don't know if it's true or not..."

"Spill it!" The feirce girl snarled. She wasn't playing around.

"Alright... I've heard that our Prince has her and is keeping her prisoner."

Aang's eyes narrowed. "Zuko... I knew he was behind this."

"Stay calm, Aang. He could be lying."

"Aang?" The man's eyes lit up in understanding. "I've heard that name mentioned before. You're the Avatar!"

"Yes, and I want to know where my friend is. _Now_." He was also through playing around.

Sokka had taken to sitting on a rock somewhere nearby. There was no need for him to question the guy, it seemed like they were already getting the necessary information out of him. But he was there if they needed his help. He watched as Aang paced back and forth, the arrow on his head constantly changing direction. It was making him slightly dizzy.

"Listen closely..." The man told them. "There is a large tower on an island in neutral waters not far from here. That's where your friend is, or so I've heard. I don't know how reliable my sources are, but... They plan to try to capture you." He used his head, the only free part of him, to indicate Aang.

"We know that already." Toph's fist balled up, ready to give him a pounding if he didn't cooperate. "Now tell us something more useful."

"If you untie just one of my hands, I could draw you a map. You can follow it right to the island where she is being held. That's all I know, I swear!"

"Fine." Toph smirked. She clapped her hands together, effectively causing the three of them to become encased in solid earth. "Now you won't be able to run, unless you happen to know Earthbending as well. Which I highly doubt."

Aang lit a small firefly lantern, which would last less than an hour. But it would do as a non-flammable light source. They had to be careful not to do anything that would encourage the soldier to use Firebending, if he did know how. He might have just been hiding it. They couldn't afford to let their guard down.

The Earth encasement wasn't big enough to surround Sokka, so he was left outside. "Hey!" He called, but they didn't hear him. If they did, no one acknowledged it. They were too focused on the task at hand.

Their prisoner seemed frightened. "Look, if all you want is information, I've just told you everything I know and I should be on my way soon. I need to get back to my post before the ship departs and I have no idea what time we're leaving. But if I'm not back, they will leave me behind. If anyone has parchment, I'll draw it for you right now."

"We don't, but Sokka does." Aang remembered. "Toph, can you lower this wall for just a minute before we untie him? I'll get it."

She did as she'd been asked. Sokka decided to join them inside the monstrous makeshift cave. "Don't ever leave me again!" He wailed.

Aang explained the situation, and that they needed something to write on. The young warrior produced some parchment and a large quill. Toph took it, and untied one of the man's hands only. But not before making sure to seal off the cave completely.

"Draw the map. And no funny business, or else." The young girl cracked her knuckles for emphasis.

The man knew she wasn't bluffing. Without saying a single word, he drew out a roughly sketched map to the location of the tower. He wanted to do more for them, but he couldn't risk getting in trouble. He was hopeful that they would stick to their word and release him if he cooperated, although he still had his doubts.

Aang examined the map with careful scrutiny. He tried turning it sideways and then upside down for clarification. "Okay, I think I get it. Looks fairly legitimate. Thanks!"

"Thank you for your cooperation." Toph moved her arms and let the rock wall fall back to the ground where it belonged.

"Great. I helped you, now if you don't mind can you let me go?" His voice was panicked. "I'm going to be left behind!"

"Okay, if you say so..." The Earthbender smiled, catching him off guard. Her fist swiftly came down on his head, hard. She was careful to only hit a specific spot. The man's world slowly faded to unforgiving solid black. He was out cold.

"Toph! Why did you do that?" Aang seemed upset.

"Simple. He'd make trouble for us if we just untied him. Fire Nation can't be trusted, remember? Now we can take him back to his buddy, explain that he had a random blackout, and they'll be none the wiser."

Sokka had already taken the crudely drawn map and packed everything else away. "So who's taking him back? Let's get out of here and find Katara."

Aang helped Toph carry him back into town, while Sokka followed just behind them. They recieved quite a few odd looks from people, but no one stopped them from what they were doing. They'd positioned the man with one arm over each of their shoulders, so it looked like he'd had a few too many to drink during his break or something.

"Hey!" The other guard greeted them with alarm. "What took you so long? And why is he unconscious?!" He drew his sword.

"Chill out," Sokka held up two hands in defense. "He just couldn't handle our method of training."

"Yeah, what a wimp. Passed right out at the first sign of trouble... Heh." Toph's cocky attitude only served to back up their story. "I knew he wouldn't be what we were looking for. Sorry."

"Yeah, that sounds like him." Luckily, the other guard bought it without making a fuss. He was laughing at his friend. "I'll give him some smelling salts when the others make it back, it'll wake him right up."

"Well, thank you and take care!" Aang offered him a small smile and waved, as they dumped their prisoner off where he belonged and walked away.

The three friends decided it would be best if they went to the edge of town before deciding what to do next. The Avatar smiled wistfully, as he stared out across the open sea. This time they had a clue about where they should go to save her. Finally... Things were finally looking up...

And speaking of looking up...

"Appa!" He cried, as the giant flying bison swopped down from the sky. "I missed you. Did you and Momo have a good time collecting berries?"

The slight stains on their normally white fur told the tale pretty well. Appa gave him a long lick across the face, while Momo handed him a small handful of fresh picked berries. The gang climbed onto Appa's back and Aang pointed him in what he hoped was the right direction.

"Yip, yip."

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**A/N: Okay, more silly taking-care-of-the-plot type stuff. xD Sorry no Zuko or Katara in this chapter. Next chapter will go back to them, obviously. I know there are some mistakes, hopefully not too many. Things should get interesting very soon... I hope at the very least this story will surprise you.**

**-k.R.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hell's Rain  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar series or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story written for my own amusement.**

**WARNING: Adult situations and graphic sexual content. May also contain borderline, if not full-on, rape. Also some character death, angst, and other dark themes. If it's not your thing, then turn back now. You have been warned. This is written solely for my own amusement. If you don't like the pairing or the plot, then go elsewhere for your entertainment. This is my first Avatar fanfic... That being said, if you think you can handle it, then I hope you find it an enjoyable read. Feedback is welcome and appreciated.**

* * *

**Chapter 12:**

Two empty blue eyes gazed out from behind iron bars. Katara had been locked up in a small dungeon cell, as punishment for trying to escape. She'd been here for about three days now.

One of the guards had caught her and taken her straight to Zuko. He'd been so furious, he'd refused to even look at her... Though part of her somehow knew that wasn't all there was to it. He had to be feeling strangely toward her after what had happened the night before she tried to run away. Without making eye contact, he had coldly ordered for her to be placed in the dungeon for the time being. He'd made no further mention of anything regarding her.

And she'd been left alone to suffer the repurcussions of her actions for these past few days. No one seemed to have any sympathy for her. Katara knew better, and she'd tried to make a run for it anyway. At the very least, next time she would be sure to learn the layout of this place before trying it again. She'd found nothing but dead-ends everywhere.

She'd been given only a simple gray outfit to wear. They looked kind of like plain pajamas, but she wasn't complaining. At least they hadn't left her to suffer in only the scanty blanket. Zuko undoubtedly wanted his bed covers back. She wanted to giggle at the thought, but all humor had left her. The once lovely blue and white water tribe garb she'd grown so accustomed to wearing had been destroyed by him that night. It was now completely clear that he was the enemy. ...Not that there had ever been any doubt.

A guard had been sent in once a day to bring her food, and then it was only a meager bowl of rice, nothing more. Katara herself had refused to speak to anyone after the incident had occurred. A few guards had tried to ask her questions, but she'd tuned them all out. She was so sick of this place.

Then something odd happened. It wasn't that odd, but it was enough to put her on edge a bit... The female guard appeared outside her cell. She was smiling and holding a key.

"What are you doing?" Katara's voice was a bit hoarse and raspy, considering she hadn't used it in several days. For a moment she looked hopeful.

"The Prince has requested an audience with you. He's invited you to join him for dinner, and ordered that you be taken to your old room and allowed to clean up first. If you refuse to cooperate you'll be stuck down here for a very long time and I don't think you want that, so come on."

She wasn't sure whether she should listen... Then again, what other choice did she really have? "Alright." The girl moved slowly out of the small damp cell.

On her way out, she kicked over the half-eaten bowl of rice that had been sitting in the corner for half a day. She'd stopped trying to save her food, by this point. Katara couldn't wait to get out of this hellhole and put this whole mess behind her. Part of her was still worried about Aang and the others... It shouldn't be taking them this long to get to her. Something was wrong. She couldn't exactly put her finger on it, but this whole situation seemed very... off.

"First, we'll stop by the bath chamber. Again, there is to be absolutely_ no_ _waterbending_. I'll stand guard outside this time, so you won't have to worry about anyone walking in on you."

"Oh... I see he told you about that."

"Actually," She smirked cunningly, tilting her head to one side. "Word of mouth spreads fast around here. I heard it from another guard who heard it from the guard who was with him at the time."

Katara snorted, dismissively. She didn't like the idea of people talking about her behind her back, nor did she appreciate the notion. This was such a terrible place. She just wanted to go home now...

Walking behind the guard, she pitifully went into the small room. The door was closed hastily behind her without another word.

She noticed that they'd already taken the liberty of filling the tub for her this time. Draping her clothes over the small bench, she dipped her toes in the water, just barely breaking the surface. It was a nice warm temperature, actually perfect for her. Katara climbed in and cleaned herself up. Her hair was matted in quite a few places and she did the best she could to work out most of the knots. Once she was finished bathing, she noticed with slight alarm that there were no clean clothes for her to change into.

Timidly, she wrapped herself in a towel and lightly knocked on the door. True to her word, the female guard stood right outside.

"Yes?"

"Uh, sorry... I don't have anything to change into?"

"That's been taken care of." The stoic woman remarked coldly. "You'll find a new outfit in your room, courtesy of Zuko. He said he wanted you to look presentable at dinner. Shall we go?"

"I guess...?" She was still in a towel, but no one else was around. Apparently it was okay. The halls were a bit drafty, but it wasn't dark yet so it wasn't that cold.

All of this was really starting to weird Katara out. She'd done nothing but be a complete pain while she was here, and she'd done it all on purpose. Granted, he'd never done anything except be a complete jerk to her. And try to rape her. She still wasn't ready to be alone with him so soon after that.

"I wonder what he wants..." She mumbled to herself, as the guard led her to her old bedroom.

The Fire Nation woman seemed to pick up her pace a little bit. "Hm... I can't say. No one knows what goes through that young man's head. He must want to talk with you." She appeared nervous, even fidgeting with her armor as they walked.

Katara just tried to let that information sink in. Of course he wanted to talk to her. But really, what else could they possibly have left to discuss?

Putting it to the back of her mind for the time being, she hesitated before going into her old room. "Do you know if I'll be staying in this room from now on? Or will I be sent back to the dungeon afterward?"

"I have no clue," The guard only shrugged, dismissing all of her questions with a cold unease. "There should be an outfit for you on the bed and some other stuff nearby. You have twenty minutes to be ready and then we have to go. I'll stand guard outside. Also, you should know that the passage to his room has been locked."

"I see."

She wasn't sure what to make of this new information. It would be best to keep quiet around the guards. Katara was fairly sure none of them could be trusted anyway.

"And keep in mind that you were instructed to make yourself look presentable."

"Yeah, okay." She rolled her eyes, not liking the way she was being treated.

Once she went inside, the room felt instantly familiar. Everything was where she left it, aside from the deep violet blue dress laid across the bed. It was intricate, with lots of silver adornments and different materials. The top and skirt seemed to be separated, and fancy little tassles hung down from the edges. The odd thing was that it looked like Fire Nation attire, but such things were usually done in red. It was a contradiction. She kind of liked it.

And there were candles everywhere. Presumably for warmth. Something told her that if she only played her cards right, she would be able to sleep in this room again after all. She never thought she would be relieved to see so much fire...

The dress was pretty, but she wasn't sure if it would fit. She wrapped herself with underbindings first, which had also been provided. Thankfully. Once it was on, the lovely outfit seemed to fit her fairly well. It had looked too small at first, but she'd forgotten how much weight she'd lost being half-starved while she was here. The violet-blue color complemented her eyes nicely. She felt so out of place in such exotic clothing, though. It left most of her stomach exposed, a lot like the previous red Fire nation outfit she'd gotten hold of.

Checking herself out in front of the mirror, everything looked alright. Seeing that she didn't have much time left to get ready, Katara started working on her hair. It had gotten much longer since she'd been she'd captive here. How long had it really been? Weeks? Months? She no longer knew... Her hair was an impossible mess of tangles. It took considerable effort to get all of them out.

"Time's up!" The guard called, opening the door and coming right in. Katara hadn't thought to lock it from the inside. She wasn't even sure if she could.

"Oh... I'm almost done. Just finishing my hair."

Her hands worked frantically at the knots before finally just giving up and tying the top part of it into a small bun behind her head. She let most of it cascade down her back in long brunette waves. As an afterthought, she pulled out two long tendrils from the top and let them hang down in front to frame her face. The only hair accessories to be found in the room were all Fire Nation style, but they would have to do. A pair of matching shoes lying near the bed completed her outfit.

"We should go now, before you're any later. Zuko is not a patient man. I'll take you to the dining room."

"Right..." Butterflies danced deep within Katara's stomach, as she dreaded what would happen tonight.

She followed the female guard, who led her out into the hallway. It was strange not seeing any other guards posted nearby. Katara had an uneasy feeling about what would happen once they reached the dining room. All she could do was fidget with her hair and dress on the way, trying to make herself look a little nicer.

They went through the twists and turns of the halls for quite a bit. Before she knew it, they stood outside two ominously large black doors. Her reflection shown in the gold handles. The guard opened the door, and Katara nervously stumbled in.

"Ah... So you did decide to join me, I see. You look lovely." Zuko purred. She recognized the voice even before their eyes met.

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**A/N: I know this seems to just kind of drag on and on... But I promise the good stuff is coming soon. Thanks to my readers for being so patient with me. It's been a while since I've written any kind of serious fanfic and I know I am a little rusty.**

**-k.R.**


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